Home Office defends Iraqi deportations
The Home Office today defended its decision to deport 15 Iraqi asylum seekers at the weekend to the northern Kurdish region of Iraq, insisting that it is safe for them to return.
Immigration minister Tony McNulty told Today “We have the evidence of over 1,000 people going back with no apparent incident at all.”
He added that the “sustained period of stability” meant there was no longer cause for the claimants to stay in Britain.
However, the move was condemned by campaign groups – the Refugee Council said it was “appalled” by such forced deportations.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten also expressed dismay, adding: “To send individuals back in a forced way without any back-up, any support into that region I think is unacceptable at this stage.
“I think that the government should halt this programme and wait until we have much more long-term evidence that the programme is stable.”
